Non invasive blood test pregnancy

Non invasive blood test pregnancy

PRENATAL DNA TESTING

Stress free on the mother and the baby

Prenatal testing done using maternal blood sample

Non-Invasive Prenatal Baby Gender Test on Maternal Blood

The current available techniques for prenatal baby gender tests (CVS and amniocentesis) are invasive and carry with their use a small but significant chance of miscarriage. As a result, the current standard care offers an invasive prenatal gender test only to those women whose risk of chromosomal or genetic abnormalities are greater than or equal to the risk of a procedure-related loss. This means that the vast majority of women never receive the benefits of a gender test prediction. The recent discovery of the presence of fetal genetic material in maternal blood has offered new approaches to non-invasive prenatal diagnosis. Given the relatively easy identification of male DNA from fetal cells in maternal blood, one clinical application is the non-invasive identification of male fetuses at risk for X-linked disorders. The second is a curiosity application for the parents who would like to know the gender of the baby. This webpage explains in details how and when you can do the non-invasive prenatal gender test.

1. Analysis of DNA from fetal cells in maternal blood samples is a screening test that is a non-invasive prenatal procedure and poses no risks to the mother or the fetus. The non-invasive baby gender predictor is based on the detection of Y chromosome-specific DNA in maternal blood samples.

2. This DNA identity baby gender test is relatively inexpensive in comparison to invasive techniques such as CVS or amniocentesis.

To learn more, read Misconceptions about the technology and an article in the Science magazine about the non-invasive prenatal technology.

Timing for the Test – Order test NOW!

Using DNA test from Health Genetic Center, a gender confirmation (Y-chromosome detection) can be done at 10 weeks of gestation.

Results – Order test NOW!

The procedure takes 7business days. We can offer a 3 business days rush service at an additional cost if you wish to shorten the turnaround time. The final report contains one of the following results:

– POSITIVE for the presence of Y-chromosome. Positive Y chromosome DNA test confirms the presence of a male fetus in the recent pregnancy.

– NEGATIVE for the presence of Y-chromosome. Negative DNA test result confirms the absence of Y chromosome DNA in maternal blood samples. This means that 1) the mother is carrying a female fetus or 2) amount of fetal DNA in maternal blood is very low (lower than the detection limit of the DNA test). Please note that if the sample is collected after 10 weeks of pregnancy then the technique is sensitive enough to detect a small amount of fetal DNA in mother’s blood. Only in very rare cases (less than 1%) this amount lower is than the detection limit at 10 weeks of pregnancy.

Sensitivity and Specificity of the Test – Order test NOW!

Sensitivity and specificity of the detection of male fetuses at 10 weeks of gestation for properly collected maternal blood samples is more than 99%. This accuracy rate is higher than any other gender prediction test available on the market today. Some companies are offering a gender DNA test with only 95% accuracy: it is very low accuracy for such DNA test.

Price for the Prenatal Gender Test – Order test NOW!

Total price of laboratory DNA testing for baby gender test determination is $290.00 (US) plus $70 FedEx shipping fee (for USA only). The cost includes the diagnostic laboratory test, telephone consultations, sample collection kit, and final laboratory report. Please make sure the payment for the DNA baby gender test is included in the form of money order, VISA, Master Card or American Express. A non-refundable deposit of $100.00 (US) is required to initiate the scheduling process and will be applied towards the case. The balance must be paid in full before we can release the DNA gender test results. All prices are in US dollars. I am ordering this test NOW!

What is a Non-invasive Prenatal Test?

In this article

What will the NIPT tell me?

How do NIPTs work?

Trisomy 13 – Patau syndrome.

Trisomy 18 – Edwards syndrome.

Trisomy 21 – Down syndrome.

Sex chromosome abnormalities involving X and Y chromosomes.

Some tests can identify other less common genetic abnormalities caused by mutations called "microdelitions", such as Angelman and Prader-Willy syndromes. This additional testing usually incurs extra costs.

All NIPT tests can report your baby's gender with a high degree of accuracy so if you want this to be a surprise, tell your doctor to make sure it doesn't appear on your report.

Accuracy and reliability of NIPT

T13 (Patau syndrome) eight out of 10 cases detected (not converted to percentage because of small numbers), with <0.1 per cent false positive rate (Swarup 2013)

The low false-positive rate means that the chance of you being told that your baby has a high likelihood of having a chromosomal abnormality when he doesn't is very low. This reduces the number of women who unnecessarily go on to have a diagnostic test, such as CVS or amniocentesis, both of which carry a small risk of injury to the baby or miscarriage.

Non-Invasive Prenatal

Get answers before your baby is born

—as early as 8 weeks’ gestation!

Payment plans available

Non-Invasive Prenatal

Get answers before your baby is born—as early as 8 weeks’ gestation!

Payment plans available

You’ve just discovered you’re expecting. Did you know paternity testing while pregnant is possible, as early as 8 weeks’ gestation?

With DDC, it’s painless, fast, and guaranteed accurate.

Paternity questions during pregnancy can be stressful. Fortunately, there’s a solution that can give you peace of mind before your baby’s born—and it’s completely safe.

DDC’s technologically-advanced Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity (NIPP) Test gives you accurate paternity answers without any risk to the baby or to you.

Testing as early as 8 weeks’ gestation

Results online in as few as 3 business days

Choose results: legal or peace-of-mind

Convenient appointments to suit your schedule

Optional gender determination

Financing options are available

DDC’s test is the only one that has been validated and published, so you can trust our results.

Is it really possible to get a baby’s DNA from the mother’s blood sample?Yes! As shown in the illustration below, the fetal DNA combines with the mother’s DNA by passing through the placenta into the mother’s bloodstream.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a non-invasive prenatal paternity test?

A non-invasive prenatal paternity test is a way to determine who the father is before the baby is born. While the mom is pregnant, the DNA profile of the baby is determined from free-floating fetal cells found in the mom’s blood sample. The baby’s profile is compared to the DNA profile of the man tested—his DNA is collected by a simple mouth swab. A report is then generated to show if the man tested is or is not the biological father.

How does a prenatal paternity test work?

A prenatal paternity test uses cell-free DNA from the developing fetus floats freely in the bloodstream of the pregnant mother. This DNA can be found as early as the 8th week of pregnancy. With our exclusive technology that has been published in Genetics in Medicine, DDC develops a DNA profile of the fetus’s DNA and compares the profile to the DNA profile of the possible father.

What does “non-invasive” mean”?

Until recently, the only way to test for paternity while pregnant was to collect amniotic fluid via a long needle, which is an “invasive” procedure that presents a risk to the baby. “Non-invasive” means there is no need to intrude in the baby’s safe environment to test for paternity. Instead, we collect only a blood sample from the mom’s arm, and a cheek-swab sample from the father.

Will a previous pregnancy affect the outcome of a test?

No, a previous pregnancy will not affect the outcome of a non-invasive prenatal paternity test. Once a child is born, the cell-free fetal DNA disappears from the mother’s bloodstream within hours; therefore previous pregnancies will not interfere with a current prenatal paternity test.

Are there differences between DDC’s test and other companies’ tests?

Yes, there are many differences between DDC’s test and other companies’ tests. Here are the Top 3:

Patient Care: Our prenatal specialists guide you through testing and are available to answer questions every step of the way—helping our clients with an average of 10+ years’ experience.

Testing Accuracy: DDC maintains seven (7) laboratory accreditations, reflecting our commitment to quality and accuracy. You can be sure we’re second-to-none in providing customers with the most trusted test available today.

Full-Circle Test Management: DDC does not farm out our testing or our services. All stages of testing happen here in our state-of-the-art lab, so we have complete control over the quality of services provided.

Quick Tip: Choosing the Best Lab for Prenatal Paternity Testing

Your paternity test is important, and can be a factor in making critical life choices.You may find companies online advertising cheap non-invasive prenatal paternity tests. Beware of these claims, and ask to see the actual published research supporting these tests. If a company is offering a free post-birth test, this means they don’t stand behind the quality of their prenatal test. DDC’s NIPP testing involves the most advanced scientific methods and DNA high-sequencing instruments. DDC is one of the most trusted laboratories in the world, capable of delivering quality results to our most important client–YOU.

About DDC’s Non-Invasive Paternity Test

As DDC’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Michael Baird has overseen millions of paternity tests since 2001 and was instrumental in developing today’s NIPP used exclusively at DDC. He’s also been the trusted expert for many high-profile cases, including the Anna Nicole Smith case in 2007 and the Prince paternity test in 2016.

The NIPP test offered by DDC uses state-of-the-art technology combined with a rigorous bioinformatics analysis to provide accurate and reliable results. DDC is the only NIPP provider that confirms the alleged father from all testing. This confirmation step is a cornerstone of AABB standards. The bioinformatics pipeline evaluates the data generated for quality, and metric thresholds are used to evaluate test results; reports are issued only if all thresholds are achieved. The DDC NIPP test can also provide gender information. Lastly, DDC has an expedited service that can provide results in three days from the date of sample receipt.

In the laboratory, the NIPP testing is performed by an experienced, dedicated group of technologists using next-generation sequencing technology. Controls are included in all testing to ensure reliability. Each case is evaluated and signed out by a PhD trained specifically in the technology and NIPP data analysis. This combination of professional personnel provides ensurance of superior quality.

The Non Invasive Prenatal Screening Test (NIPT) – a Q & A with IONA

After the initial high of getting pregnant, you go to see your midwife and you’re suddenly hit with all these big decisions, and it hardly even seems real yet. Will you breastfeed? Where do you want to have the baby and how? Will you have the flu and whooping cough vaccine? And one of the more difficult decisions, will you have screening for the more common chromosomal abnormalities? A lot of people say yes to everything without considering what it actually means. There are a great deal of conditions and abnormalities that we can’t test for in pregnancy, or that are so rare that they wouldn’t be checked for normally unless there was a family history. The common conditions that you may have heard of that we test for are Down’s Syndrome (Trisomy 21) Edward’s Syndrome (Trisomy 18) and Patau’s Syndrome (Trisomy 13). Down’s syndrome is the one you are probably most familiar with, people born with it will have varying degrees of learning difficulties and sometimes heart conditions but can lead a full life. Edward’s and Patau’s are more severe and are often fatal, with the babies not making it to birth or dying shortly after. Some survive until adulthood, but this is rare and often with severe abnormalities.

There is now a new test available privately and on the NHS in some hospitals, being rolled out more widely soon that takes away some of the worry, as it tests the mother’s blood but looks at the baby’s DNA, can be done early on in pregnancy and it is over 99% accurate. Here I will aim to answer the frequently asked questions about the non invasive prenatal test (NIPT) with the help of the experts behind the IONA test, who are the only NIPT manufactured and analysed in the UK. It is also the quickest, with turnaround taking 3-5 days, all done by a British company, Premaitha Health plc.

At the moment, the screening offered through the NHS is called the Combined screening, as it combines an ultrasound scan looking at the nuchal fold of the baby’s neck along with looking at a hormone marker from a blood test taken from you plus your age. A risk factor is then given to you such as 1:10000 chance. Anything under 1:150 is considered high risk and you would then decide whether to have an invasive test, like an amniocentesis or CVS (chorionic villus sampling), where they take DNA directly from the fluid or placenta to determine whether the baby is affected. This test carries a 1% risk of miscarriage. You could also choose not to have the invasive test. An ultrasound later in the pregnancy can also help with a diagnosis, although this is not definitive. The combined test can be done between 11 and 14 weeks gestation. The Quadruple (or Quad) test can be done from weeks 14-20, this is not as accurate and can only check for Down’s syndrome. This is also a blood test from the mother, and th e results come as a risk factor ratio. With a diagnosis of any of these conditions, you would then consider your options: continue the pregnancy or terminate it. This is important to consider when undergoing any form of testing – why are you doing it? For information and preparation, or to terminate the pregnancy.

QAt what point in my pregnancy can I get the test done?

A The IONA test can be done once you are 10 weeks gestation until birth.

A A small blood sample is taken from the mother and is sent for analysis at a local laboratory.

Q I am pregnant with twins – can the test still be done?

A Yes, we can still do the test for twins, but not multiples of more than two babies. If the twins are non identical or have separate sacs and placentas, the accuracy rate drops to 95%, and it would only tell you that at least one baby has the condition. If you had a high risk result, further invasive testing would be necessary.

A The IONA test is greater than 99% accurate

Q Are there any false positives?

A The false positive rate is less than 1%. A false positive is when the test says the baby is at a high risk of having Down’s syndrome but is actually normal. The IONA test is much better at ensuring the babies are truly high risk. This allows the doctor to only refer the mother for an invasive test when it is likely the baby is affected. This means fewer pregnant women will undergo unnecessary invasive follow-up procedures such as amniocentesis or CVS which are stressful, painful and can carry a small risk of miscarriage.

Q Is there a chance it will need repeating?

A In the blood sample we take, there is enough for two rounds of testing. In the unlikely event we cannot get a result, we can repeat the sample. The redraw rate is less than 0.5%.

Q I’ve heard of the Harmony test, what’s the difference between that and IONA?

A The Harmony test is from the USA and uses a different technology. Their samples are shipped out to the USA for testing, leading to a longer turnaround and more chance of samples being lost. The IONA test is performed in a local laboratory in the UK and it has a faster turnaround time for results, allowing pregnant mums their results faster and reducing stressful waiting times.

Q How long before I get my results?

A It takes 3-5 days to process once the sample is received in the lab.

Q Where does my blood sample go to get processed?

A The IONA labs are based in Manchester, UK.

Q Where can I get my test done?

A There are various locations across the UK: London, Leeds, Reading, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Hull, Coventry. You can also get it in India, Poland, Republic of Moldova and Armenia.

A The price can vary, the IONA test is available within some NHS hospitals. St Georges Hospital in London offer their high risk patients the test for free. Leeds General Infirmary and St James University Hospital in Leeds offer the test privately to their mums across the Yorkshire region with prices starting at £300. Privately prices start at £320 for the blood test alone, and £395 with an ultrasound scan. An ultrasound scan is always recommended.

Q If I have a positive result, what do I do?

A It is recommended to confirm the results with an invasive test such as an amniocentesis, done by your NHS provider.

A When you’re pregnant, your blood has some non cellular foetal DNA present, this can be separated from your DNA in the lab and looks at small changes in the ratio between the maternal and the cell free DNA to determine the likelihood of a Trisomy being present.

Q Why choose the IONA test over the combined screening?

A It can be done earlier in pregnancy, and it is more accurate. Many pregnant mums will have the combined test and if they are high risk, they will then opt for an NIPT test like IONA rather than an invasive procedure as it is safer, more accurate and will give mum peace of mind.

Q Are there any side effects?

A No, as it is only a blood test, there is only the mild discomfort of drawing blood from the woman.

Here are some testimonials from women who have had the IONA test:

Gillian Rodgers (41): “I got my results back within five working days during the same week. The rapidity of the results reduces stress levels as I didn’t have to wait as long as I would have had to wait if I’d have had the amniocenteses. I was aware that the IONA® test results are processed by a UK lab and that’s why it’s so quick. I would absolutely recommend the test to friends.”

Elizabeth Steward (42): “I was offered the IONA®test at St Thomas’s which was a great relief due to there being no risk of miscarriage. After having the test and giving birth to a healthy baby I would definitely recommend the IONA test to friends as it gives quick, accurate results, with no risk of miscarriage and ultimately gave me peace of mind.”

Kate Ewer (46): “I feel so lucky to have been offered this test. Obviously I had an anxious wait for the results, but taking a blood test is so much easier than having to go through an invasive procedure. I’d like to thank all the staff at St George’s Hospital for the great care I received and I would encourage any woman who was initially assessed as high risk to ask for the test”.

Karen Rosco-Bailey (43): “I had no concerns whatsoever about having the IONA® test. When my consultant told me that there was no risk of miscarriage, my decision was made. Conceiving naturally was such a wonderful surprise for me and my partner, and the 1% risk of losing my miracle baby during an invasive test seemed huge.

“I would absolutely recommend the IONA® test to other pregnant women. Any woman would do anything to avoid risk to their baby.

Well, I hope that this has helped answer some or all of your questions about this new form of screening. Please feel free to comment and ask me anything and I’ll do my best to answer!